But ask him about his dad, Steve Belichick, and the New England Patriots head coach suddenly is a misty-eyed open book.

Among his many accomplishments, Belichick’s father was a World War II veteran and an assistant football coach at at the United States Naval Academy for 34 years. It’s a legacy that’s near and dear to Belichick, and one that will be explored in “The Belichick Legacy,” a special airing Thursday night on CBS Sports Network.

In a clip released ahead of the piece’s debut, Belichick gets uncharacteristically emotional while talking about some of the memories he has of his father.